Gronk scored as many points as Jimmy Graham last Sunday, and Lions tight end Christian Fauria has more touchdowns this year than Megatron. Welcome to the NFL in 2013. Here’s what catches our attention

Gronk scored as many points as Jimmy Graham last Sunday, and Lions tight end Christian Fauria has more touchdowns this year than Megatron. Welcome to the NFL in 2013. This week-to-week goofiness is just part of the business, and we at Footballguys do our best to help you make sense of the players moving up and down the value charts. Here’s what catches our attention as we head into Week 7.

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If nothing else, Julian Edelman gets a bump here for being secure enough to leave the Golden Boy hanging…

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RISING UP

Nick Foles, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
He may look like more like a member of ‘N Sync than he does an NFL Stud, but as we’ve been saying here, this Chip Kelly system doesn’t need a Michael Vick type athlete to succeed. It needs a smart decision maker that can push the tempo, and Foles can do that. Kelly’s been hesitant to name Foles the starter, but the writing’s on the wall. Even if Vick does get the job back, he won’t stay healthy.

Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona Cardinals
While Rashard Mendenhall’s still going to see lots of work, Ellington looks to be the real talent in this backfield. He’s not going to post the jaw-dropping RB1 type numbers but for a shared situation, I’m not sure it gets much more favorable than what Ellington’s seeing in Arizona. Don’t discount the positives new coach Bruce Arians brings to this offense.

Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay Packers
It took a while, (and some teammate injuries/fumbles) but this is what we were hoping for with Lacy. He’s not going to wow anyone with speed or spin moves. What he will do is wear down a defense as he continues to pound the line and move the pile. And never discount the effect a great quarterback like Aaron Rodgers has on a team’s running game. Expect Lacy to get better as he becomes more comfortable.

Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots
No one knows how the Rob Gronkowski situation will play out. But we do know that Danny Amendola won’t stay healthy, Austin Collie’s off the street and undrafted rookie Kenbrell Thompkins will need some help. If nothing else, Edelman gets a bump here for being secure enough to leave the Golden Boy hanging…

HANGING IN

Le’Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Don’t panic. Bell’s 34 yards and 2.1 yards per carry average Sunday were ugly. But this was more about matching up against a very tough Jets run defense. He’s still the guy we’ve been looking for in an offense that now finally has a win under its belt. Stick with him.

SLIDING DOWN

Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Fitz is one of the league’s best receivers. But he’s been killing fantasy owners with injury worries. Last week, Jay Glazer and Adam Schefter (and Footballguys) all were very worried about him being able to play. And he promptly went out and posted a great day. We’re hearing he came out of the game worse than he went in. If you’re a Fitzgerald owner, this feels like the optimal time to sell high. Make sure you get plenty for him.

Terrell Pryor, QB, Oakland Raiders
Another zig in the zigzag year for Pryor. The Kansas City defense is outstanding, so don’t go crazy, but The sky-high hopes we had might have been a little premature, as it’s looking like Pryor is going to be a matchup QB at best.

Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Like Fitzgerald, Rice is an elite talent. We just think his value is moving downward, and if you’re looking to make a trade, he could be the guy to move. But just like Fitzgerald, make sure you get plenty in return. This team doesn’t look special, and Rice appears unable to carry it by himself.